The Bordeaux Appeal: Why Chinese investors are flocking to Bordeaux

Bottled in China: A Wine & Food Podcast

The Bordeaux wine region of France has always attracted international investment.

As the Asian economy developed, individuals and beverage companies looked abroad to diversify their portfolios. In the mid 1980’s, Japanese investors like Suntory started to buy Estates in Bordeaux. Over the past decade, it’s estimated that close to 160 Chateaux’s have shifted hands to Hong Kong and Mainland Chinese investors.

In today’s podcast, we sit down with Howard Kwok to discuss his family’s vision for investing in wineries on the right bank of Bordeaux, and what drew them to Bordeaux in the first place.

Howard Kwok is the co-owner of Vignobles K, a group of vineyards located in Bordeaux, France. Howard's family bought their first vineyard, Chateau Haut Brisson, in 1997, and is the first Chinese investor to acquire a vineyard in France.

Today, their holding company Vignobles K manages 7 properties in the right bank of Bordeaux, including Chateau Bellefont Belcier, a Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classé, and Chateau Tour Saint Christophe, often described as one of the best values of the region. Wines by Vignobles K have received significant praises by professional critics and wine enthusiasts alike, and are widely distributed around the world.

Howard is originally from Hong Kong. After graduating from Harvard Business School, he worked briefly at the management consulting firm McKinsey & Company and joined his family's business in 2015. He splits his time between managing Vignobles K and investments in China.